Hollyoaksat30-"Hollyoakshasbeenpivotaltomanydirectors’careers..."DirectorsUKmemberssharetheirthoughts

It’s a big month for Hollyoaks, the iconic soap turns 30! To celebrate three decades of drama, laughter, and unforgettable storylines, we asked our members to share memories of their time working on the show, what Hollyoaks has meant to them as directors, and why it continues to be such an important part of our industry.

Read their thoughts below.

What was directing your first episode of Hollyoaks like?

“Hollyoaks gave me my break in drama. I'd been directing documentaries for years, but couldn't find my way into drama. My first episode of Hollyoaks was a shared block with my mentor Nicky Higgens, on a Directors UK scheme specifically for female and BAME directors in other genres. I remember thinking what a supportive and open cast and crew. What a joyful experience.” –Claire Tailyour

“I loved it—from the second I arrived in Liverpool. Walking on set, I felt like I had come home. This was where I was always supposed to be.” –Martin Gooch

“It was a great experience doing a split block. The crew and the establishment welcomed me like a family, and I have since gone back to do 12 more episodes.” –Julius Amedume

“Directing my first episode of Hollyoaks was both exciting and incredibly daunting — it was actually my first job straight out of film school. The schedule was intense: three half-hour episodes to shoot in a single week, which felt almost impossible compared to the timelines I’d been used to at the NFTS. I was a bit of a fish out of water at first, having just moved from London up to Liverpool, but it turned out to be quite the education, turning around tight shooting schedules and delivering the emotional punches on storylines the writers had been spinning out for months. In many ways, film school gave me the chance to make films, but Hollyoaks gave me the tools to be a director.” –Toby Haynes

“Directing my first episode of Hollyoaks was my first experience of directing for TV so it will stay with me for a very long time! I was on the Directors UK From Stage to Small Screen training programme at the time, being mentored by the fantastic Sean Glynn and generously supported by everyone at Hollyoaks whilst I was learning the ropes. My first ever scene was a multi-hander in an episode full of challenging storylines - it was fast-paced, intense, and above all, great fun.” –Eleri B. Jones

“Amazing! I shared a block of five episodes with long-time experienced director of the show, Paul Riordon, for my first block with them. He directed the first three episodes, and I directed the final two. The production team were extremely warm and welcoming, the crew were fabulous and so supportive, and the cast were superbly talented and a lot of fun.”  –Kerri McLean

What have you learned from directing Hollyoaks that you’ve taken into other projects?

“I learnt to work fast, prepare very very well, make quick decisions and most of all have fun.” –Bruce Webb

“Getting stuff done. Completing the call sheet and moving on. Adapting to changes in lighting, cast and script in seconds. Keeping crew morale high and making sure we still love the process, even though it can be hard and tiring, and sometimes difficult. But working on Hollyoaks is always exciting, I once shot a two-page scene in seven minutes (from the actors´ arrival on set), and it was really, really good.” –Martin Gooch

“It was fast, furious and very quirky. I worked on the second series which was fun and a bit bonkers. I came up with a way of working where we had one treat shot a day, which everyone was really up for. That might be blocking, or camera shots or a performance piece where we took our time. I integrated musical tracks into scenes where the lyrics reflected the content in a witty way. The most memorable was Stan being accused of giving out chips for sex: we laid Mark Owen´s  ‘Child’ as he was vehemently protesting his innocence. ‘Innocent child, Our hope lies inside, Your starry eyes, My innocent child’” –Delyth Thomas

“I´ve learned to work faster, communicate better, be prepared for anything to change and to try and treat every scene like it´s the most important one I´ve ever done.” –Alan de Pellette 

“Plan meticulously but be ready to forget those plans and work on the fly when everything changes on the day.” –Daikin Marsh

Can you describe a particularly memorable or challenging scene you directed? What made it stand out?

“I loved shooting Romeo’s escape on horseback from Harcourt Hall, but one that stands out is when JJ started abusing Frankie. It was such an intense scene — we wanted it to feel real and raw, leaving no doubt that Frankie couldn’t escape. The room was tiny, so we shot handheld, and you could’ve heard a pin drop. Working closely with the actors and the intimacy coordinator, we aimed for that shocked, slow-motion effect. Isabelle was amazing, and we all felt we were telling the start of a story that truly mattered. I still get a lump in my throat watching it back.” –Ellie Brent

“I directed an entire episode set at a rave with numerous extras, 6–10 leads, and multiple points of view in every scene. I loved choreographing oners that wove through the crowds, capturing the emotional beats alongside the high-octane party atmosphere.” –Laura Jai Smith

“I directed pregnant Tina McQueen being pushed down the wall staircase by Niall. We spent days setting it up — used a stunt double, added rubber steps, and set up four cameras to catch the action. When it came time to shoot, the stunt double did an incredible fall and landed with a crash on the safety mat. I called cut, but she didn’t move. I called cut again and ran over, fearing the worst. The ambulance team joined me — turns out her wig had slipped over her ears so she couldn’t hear us! Ever the professional, she stayed still. I’ve never been so relieved when she got up and said she was fine — and we got the shot in one!” –Martin Gooch

Were there any major moments, storylines or character exits/introductions that you directed during your time on the show?

“I am so proud of the special bulimia episode written by the brilliant Roanne Bardsley and starring the utterly incredible Nadine Mulkerrin. It was a standalone storyline really digging down into how someone starts to recover from bulimia. We had a lot of young people write in to say how much it helped them reflect on their own lives.” –Claire Tailyour

“I directed the moment Becca Dean (Ali Bastian) got fired for having an affair with a pupil. The actor playing the head mistress was using method acting and turned up on set and gave me a bollocking. As a director I hadn’t experienced method acting before so I was completely baffled as to what was going on.”  –Bruce Webb

“My first episodes made British soap history for being the first to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Yet, the team never made me feel like I had to take on any responsibility for that. I felt free to concentrate solely on being a director, as opposed to being a ‘cultural consultant’.” –Mingyu Lin

To you, how important has Hollyoaks been to the industry over the past 30 years, and why?

“Hollyoaks has been pivotal to many directors’ careers, including my own. It’s a vital first stepping stone for creatives in production and editorial, offering a fast-moving, single-camera environment that pushes storytelling boundaries and shapes the performances of young actors.” –Paul Riordan

“Hollyoaks has often led the way with its diversity of stories and challenging subject matters. They were the first show to bring in ‘stunt week’ which others followed. Behind the scenes, the show also opened the way for new directors to the business, introducing a mentorship scheme which has produced a number of very good directors.” –Sean Glynn

“Hollyoaks has always occupied a unique place in British television. Its single-camera format, location-based sets, and visually distinctive style set it apart from the traditional soap universe, offering directors and crew an unusually creative playground. By encouraging inventive storytelling and bold visual choices, the show has pushed the boundaries of what a soap can achieve, both aesthetically and narratively. There’s really not a show like it anywhere.” –George Siougas

“Both in front of the camera and behind, there is such a genuine belief in the power of the next generation, shown through the generosity of more experienced colleagues in sharing their hard-fought knowledge with transparency and kindness. Hollyoaks has trained generations of actors, writers, directors, and all of the other crucial roles that continue to help our industry thrive. These opportunities are rarer now than ever, and Hollyoaks continues to lead the way in building a sustainable workforce for the future.” –Eleri B. Jones

“As the best looking, best sounding show in its category Hollyoaks has had a positive influence on the rest of the genre.” –Daikin Marsh

Is there anything else you’d like to share on Hollyoaks’ 30th anniversary?

“Hollyoaks has striven to be inclusive in its storytelling and its culture, and has been at the forefront of representation of marginalised and underrepresented groups on mainstream TV, both in front of and behind the camera. Long may it continue being the noisy upstart in the TV firmament.” –Amy Coop

“I feel more than many other places, the team on Hollyoaks really respect directors and what we bring. I feel like my Lime Pictures community is a home from home.” –Ellie Brent

“Some of the happiest days I have had in my entire career were on set on Hollyoaks. Such a lovely atmosphere super talented cast and can-do crew, I miss it terribly.” –Martin Gooch

“I’m proud to have been part of this journey and to witness Hollyoaks remain as relevant, creative, and inspiring as ever. Here’s to many more years of brilliant storytelling, of laughter, tears and lots of cake!” –George Siougas

“Whenever I worked on Hollyoaks, I remember waking up looking forward to going to work with a lovely gang of people who all wanted to be there and create some great drama, what a treat! Long may Hollyoaks last!” –Graeme Harper